


To Dancing with the Dark (One)

by Keenir



Series: Moreau's lands [2]
Category: Hunting of the Snark - Lewis Carroll, Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Professor Moreau - Freeform, Rumbelle gift exchange, mention of Milah
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-09
Updated: 2013-09-09
Packaged: 2017-12-26 02:19:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/960416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Keenir/pseuds/Keenir
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is what it takes to get Rumplestiltskin to dance with Belle.  Fortunately, the God-Empress Moreau has made attendance mandatory.</p>
            </blockquote>





	To Dancing with the Dark (One)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Crysania](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crysania/gifts).



**Fit the First**  
“We shall have one,  
“a dance,”  
said Moreau, God-Empress of a billion.  
“All shall attend and partake, with smiles.”

This included occupied Neverland and FTL, the Jolly Roger an’  
on board a crew of Captain and Queens and those of less certain rank.  
And a Dark One, most certainly included, to be certain.  
Even if, before he danced, he would sooner walk the plank.

All came. With Bae came Aurora and Philip and Mulan.  
On the arm of a smiling Victor was pleased Ruby.  
For the long arms of Moreau’s whim reached far in accordance with her plan,  
And it included far Storybrooke among others, you see.

 **Fit the Second**  
“Good day, Moe dear,”  
was the greeting which gave him pause;  
he knew her eyes like her voice were ever clear  
and her wit could split an awls.

“A long time…” Moe said, unsure how to call her –  
by title, by nature, by name?  
“I missed you,” he told her.  
Said she, “And yet fled fate all the same.”

“Responsibility. And our daughter –“  
“Whom I see not here.”  
“What I did, got away from me, and then her –“  
“Calm, husband, for I know what she is near.”

Said Moe, “My failure.”  
“Oh?” asked his once-wife,  
“Have you forgotten your pursuit of me with both caution and care?  
“Recall as well how for me you shattered a magical knife.”

“I remember.  
“I sought only to protect our daughter;  
“and I never thought to reflect.”

With a _cat_ smile, “Moe, that is why I am here.  
“We shall attend with Belle a dance.”  
“Belle warned me away, she was quite clear.”  
“And that is why we shall bring cans.”

 **Fit the Third**  
Thought the Snark, She loves the dark one?  
Mine own daughter does this?  
In the endless ageless battle – he has won?  
How had Jones’ plan come to miss?

No matter, he shall end in the bin.  
No more caution and care,  
With railway stakes only to pin  
Him; then drop him to the deepest point in the oceanic mare.

My anger with Mo is done;  
we shall move as one now,  
and shall see Belle at Neverland’s Dance of the Sun;  
And at the very least, the Dark One shall bow!

 **Fit the Fourth**  
“I don’t dance,” said Mr. Gold.  
Said Dr. Whale, “Anyone can.”  
“Would you be so bold?”  
“Oh it won’t be my hide to be tanned.”

“Ruby wants her friend Belle to dance, even if its with you, all told.”  
“And the Empress Moreau?  
"What will stir in her hearts and her brain’s fold?”  
“Reassurance, I should think; rather than ascend into a problem, I’m into domesticity a-go.”

“For dancing, I’m too old,”  
said Rumplestiltskin.  
Says Frankenstein to that, “Paltry then; if magic leaves you cold  
“and wears you think.”

“You try to get a rise of me,” to Victor he told.  
“You truly think?”  
Victor joked as he saw a friend from days of old,  
“Do what you will, gold-dropping imp; I am off to get a drink.”

“Magic’s naught to do with it,” to himself said Gold.  
“In truth the last time I danced…Milah.  
“There are memories I’d prefer to not tie to Belle –“ and halted cold.  
For what he saw now across the dance floor was the same first woman he had met before ending the Seer and after Milah.

 **Fit the Fifth**  
“Mother? Father?”  
did Belle ask.  
“You’re both here? Together?”  
and wondered if she would be taken to task.

“Belle, so nice to see again,” her mother  
said, approaching, embracing, and smiling at her.  
“How did you get here, and in this weather?”  
“You came here alongside your friends, with Snark, and I am like her.”

“I’m Ruby,” said she who of Belle’s friends was more gooder  
than most. “Nice to meet you.”  
“Yes, quite nice to meet you, young hunter,”  
said Belle’s mom. “No doubt you’re indebted to my daughter too.”

“Why are you here?” Belle asked of her.  
“For the dance, I would think.”  
“I already told father –“  
“When dealing with mighty things, daughter, ie I or your friend, ever remember: Don’t Blink.

Said Ruby with Belle’s nod, “She trusts him and he trusts her.”  
“Such a thing to assert.”  
“And true,” says Belle. “Or do you distrust me as you do her?”  
“Neither. But be wary of his type of god, against whose will the great mountains are pert.”

 **Fit the Sixth**  
“You hesitate?” said Professor Moreau,  
“Rather than pursue a love?”  
Said Rumplestiltskin, “I do.”  
“Owing to associations?” to which he gave a nod. “Have you burnt your treasure grove?”

“Of what do you speak, you?”  
She smiled, sensing a win,  
“Your libraries, endless rows of books thicker than branches in any bramble grove.”  
“No, no burnin’.”

Rumplestiltskin continued, “Your analogy is flawed, younger Moreau.  
“For we never loved.”  
“You taught me, though,  
“and impressed upon me patience. Words which when I rose to power, they fit like a glove.”

Moreau added, “Go to her, you.  
“I’ll speak to the snarks.  
“Everyone approves of the two of you two.  
“So go, go, dance into the darks.”

 **Fit the Seventh**  
“It seems everyone wants us to  
“dance,” said Rumplestiltskin to Belle  
as they walked to each other, pausing as clothed knee touched covered knee.  
“I noticed that as well.”

“I, uh – you see –“  
But Belle took his hand  
unprompted, taking the lead for all to see.  
And showed what she’d learned from the Storybrooke library and the finest dancers in FTL land.

As they moved so easily,  
Rumplestiltskin found himself able to move Milah to a part of his heart marked _Past_.  
He looked into Belle’s eyes and saw the light there so free,  
and let himself feel that this time, this relationship would last!

 **Fit the Eighth**  
And it was a most enjoyable dance.  
But the snarks were not all snarks, you see;  
And if your snark be a boojum, you vanis-  
Leaving only two on the dance floor, happily.

And there had been planning, done by Belle’s mother,  
who had left easy-to-open cans,  
so there would be no hunger  
whenever they paused in their dance.


End file.
